Growing Sewer Costs, Crime Drive Dania Budget

DANIA — Battles against crime and higher utility bills have sparked major increases in the city's per-capita cost of government in the past decade.

The financial struggle continues as city commissioners prepare to vote on Tuesday on a $17.6 million budget for 1994-95.

The city is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars yearly to battle one of the highest crime rates in Broward County. The cost of fire protection is also growing.

In the past 10 years, Dania's total per-capita cost of providing police and fire protection has risen 54 percent.

At the same time, the city is fighting rainwater in its aged sewer system - an ongoing problem that has caused mounting sewer bills. The cost of utility services has jumped about 89 percent per resident in the past decade.

At least one resident gives the city a mixed review for its handling of crime and sewer problems. When it comes to fighting crime, "The Broward Sheriff's Office has done a fantastic job for the city," said Mildred Jones, a longtime city activist.

The Sheriff's Office has served as the city's law enforcement agency under a contract established six years ago, when Dania abolished its police force.

"But our sewer rate is terrible," Jones said.

Like most Dania residents, Jones has seen her water and sewer bill climb 35 percent in the past decade when adjusted for inflation.

"Everybody's complaining how water and sewer [rates) are so high," Jones said.

Rain is a big piece of the problem.

During heavy rains, flooded streets drain into the city sewer system through cracked pipes, creating a massive surge at the Hollywood treatment plant that serves the area. Hollywood can't separate the rainwater from the regular sewage, so it treats and charges Dania for both.

To deal with the problem, city officials have launched a program to repair the sewer system. But it costs money - $380,000 this year and $170,000 in next year's budget.

An additional savings will result from a credit Dania will receive from Hollywood. Because of a billing error last year, Hollywood overcharged Dania about $290,000 for sewage treatment. Dania will be given a credit to reduce next year's bill, city officials say.

City officials hope to cut sewer rates by almost 20 percent for the 1994-95 fiscal year.

"It's the people's money," City Commissioner Albert Jones said. "We need to give it back to them in the form of a decrease."

But residents have also been hit hard by crime.

Dania has one of the highest crime rates of any city in Broward, according to statistics from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Local officials say location is part of the cause.

Two interstate highways, Port Everglades and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport bring high volumes of people through the city. The lure that brings the people also brings the criminals, officials say.

"`We [have) the type of crime that a major urban city would have," said Bob Mikes, the mayor in the 17,000-resident town.

"People pass through here by the hundreds of thousands," City Manager Robert Flatley said. "Just as business likes to locate here, so does crime."

City officials and residents say blighted neighborhoods also foster crime.

"There's much more crime in the city and more need for enforcement," said Charles K. "Mac" McElyea, former Dania mayor and a city resident since 1932.

Dania has spent the past decade throwing more money and manpower into its battle with crime.

"You see it in every city [budget)," Mikes said. "Public safety is through the roof."

Dania today has 52 deputies - an increase of 10 officers since the city first signed its police protection pact with the Sheriff's Office six years ago.

But the past decade has seen Dania fight a losing battle, according to the latest statistics from FDLE.

State records in 1984 reported a ratio of one crime for every seven residents. Today, the ratio is one crime for every six residents.

Adding to the city's higher public safety costs is the $500,000 officials have included in their 1994-95 budget to expand fire protection west in an area annexed about four years ago.

Even with mounting costs of police, fire and utilities, city officials insist their city is no different from others in Broward and elsewhere.

"For a little town that started out as tomato farming, we're a town that has all the urban problems of any big city," Flatley said.